Scorpions of the Namib Desert

The often-misunderstood scorpion is an incredible creature of ancient origins. The Namib Desert, being an ancient landscape, is interesting in the fact that its biodiversity has had millennia to evolve and adapt to its harsh and unforgiving conditions. The scorpion is a relatively understudied creature, yet their importance is significant.

Scorpions play a vital role in arid ecosystems and have significant medical importance to humans. The study of their physiology is interesting in that little energy is wasted when eating, an important adaptation for life in an arid environment. This adaptation is key to their survival in some of the world’s harshest conditions, and yet this, and so much more, is still not fully understood about one of Earth’s oldest, most fascinating and misunderstood organisms. Scorpions are truly remarkable creatures, and much surrounding their shrouded, but extraordinary lives is still begging to be discovered.